Attorney General Jeff Sessions is mulling over naming a special counsel to investigate several alleged misdeeds relating to his boss’ political rival, Hillary Clinton.

Sessions, whose failure to investigate Clinton added to his fall from President Trump’s favor, has reportedly instructed Justice Department lawyers look into the Uranium One sale that was approved during the Obama administration, when Clinton was Secretary of State, and her use of a private email server during the same time period.

Assistant attorney general Stephen Boyd informed the Senate Judiciary Committee of the Justice Department’s burgeoning investigation in a letter sent on Monday. Boyd’s letter was sent in response to Rep. Bob Goodlatte, who has repeatedly called on the Justice Department to probe Clinton’s role in the Uranium One sale.

According to the letter, which was detailed by The New York Times, senior prosecutors are weighing whether a special counsel should be appointed. From Boyd’s letter:

“These senior prosecutors will report directly to the attorney general and the deputy attorney general, as appropriate, and will make recommendations as to whether any matters not currently under investigation should be opened, whether any matters currently under investigation require further resources, or whether any matters merit a special counsel,” said the senior official, Stephen E. Boyd, an assistant attorney general.

Advertisement

As noted by The Times, it was only ten days ago that Trump complained about the Justice Department’s failure to investigate Clinton. “I’m really not involved with the Justice Department. I’d like to let it run itself,” he told reporters. “But, honestly, they should be looking at the Democrats. And a lot of people are disappointed in the Justice Department, including me.”

Trump has also repeatedly claimed that the Clinton Foundation received $145 million in return for her approval of the Uranium One sale, however those claims have been consistently debunked. Even if a special counsel isn’t appointed to investigate Clinton, House Republicans have already opened two separate investigations into the Uranium One sale and Clinton’s email server.

Sessions, though, has a clear motive for kowtowing to Trump’s demands. After he recused himself from the Justice Department’s Russia probe, Sessions was reamed by Trump and almost lost his job. By considering the appointment of a special counsel to investigate Clinton, Sessions is transparently trying to cover his own ass.